Allegri: ‘AC Milan made cheap errors and didn’t make chances count’

Max Allegri admits AC Milan ‘didn’t take our chances’ against Lazio in the Coppa Italia and repeated their pattern of making ‘cheap errors’ when seemingly in control.

The Rossoneri had won 1-0 in Serie A at San Siro on Saturday amid controversy, and they were on the other end of that situation at the Stadio Olimpico this evening.

There were protests that the corner from which Mattia Zaccagni nodded in the winner should’ve been a goal kick, as it might’ve hit Alessio Romagnoli after the Pervis Estupinan header.

These are beyond the purview of VAR, so could not have been changed by the authorities, but the marking was also poor to allow that Zaccagni free header.

“Lazio won a game where we had more difficulties compared to Saturday, as we misplaced passes a few times in the first half to gift chances,” Allegri told Sport Mediaset.

“It was a static match, whoever broke the deadlock would win it, and we didn’t take our chances, whereas we conceded on a corner where we could’ve certainly defended better. It was a moment when we were in control of the game, we made three or four cheap errors, giving away free kicks and corners. It happened against Cremonese and Pisa too this season, when we are dominant and don’t make it count, that becomes dangerous. We need to improve.”

The turning point in the game felt like the Rafael Leao miss, blasting a loose ball over from eight yards, as that was when Lazio began to take back control at 0-0.

“Leao had a good chance tonight, he moved well inside and outside the area. When he’s not in the box, we need to fill those spaces with other players. He put himself at the disposal of the team, we need everyone to continue like this. It’s a defeat, but our objective remains to get back into the Champions League next season.”

Does Allegri feel that they need a centre-forward to score more goals?

“Pulisic and Leao scored 10 goals between them, we’ve got Gimenez to come back from injury too. We need more goals from the midfielders, but also be much more concentrated at certain moments of the match,” continued Allegri.

It was the first start in the Milan jersey for summer signing Ardon Jashari, who fractured his fibula in August, amid quite a lot of squad rotation.

“Jashari and Ricci had good performances, those who came on did relatively well. It’s disappointing that we are out of the Coppa Italia, as we wanted to go all the way, but now we have to prepare for our next Serie A match in Turin.”

Milan were the beaten Coppa Italia Finalists last season, losing 1-0 in this very stadium to Bologna in May, but their tournament run is already over in the Round of 16.

Now they only have Serie A to focus on, where they are currently joint leaders alongside Napoli. Is this a step backwards?

“No, absolutely not,” replied Allegri. “Look, it’s right to be angry because an elimination in a knockout round is disappointing, but on the other hand we have to look forward, we have two Serie A games before we go to play the Supercoppa Italiana.”

It was put to Allegri that Milan were mirroring Napoli from last season, who lost the opening Serie A game and went out of the Coppa Italia in the Round of 16, but they went on to win the Scudetto.

“Do you know how many times Milan have won away to Torino in Serie A over the last 12 years? Once, during the Covid era behind closed doors. So we’ve got to focus on getting the points in that game,” smiled the coach.